YA Dragon Shifters
Finally stopped back here for a visit – it’s been a crazy spring. Here’s a big wave to everyone!
My paranormal YA series, THE DRAGON DIARIES launched this month. This series is a spin-off of my Dragonfire series, featuring dragon shape shifters. FLYING BLIND is the first book in a trilogy, featuring the coming of age of Zoë. She’s the only dragon shapeshifter and so she should be the Wyvern and have special powers. The problem is that her powers are AWOL and she has no idea how to develop them. In book one, her first shift is triggered so she gets sent to dragon shifter boot camp with the other dragon shifters – where the young dragons discover that it’s up to them to save their kind from a new threat. Book #2, WINGING IT, will be out in December, followed by book #3, BLAZING THE TRAIL, next June.
You can read more about The Dragon Diaries on my website for it, right here. I’m also in the midst of a blog tour this month, so there are reviews, and guest posts and copies of the book to be won – read more here.
In Dragonfire, DARKFIRE KISS was released in May. That’s the story of Rafferty’s firestorm, and it had awesome reviews – you can read about the book right here. There are two more Dragonfire titles scheduled: FLASHFIRE in January 2012 and Dragonfire #8 in October 2012 (no title on that one yet.)
Lots of dragons in my office this year!
In other news, I’ve been republishing some of my Claire Delacroix backlist digitally this year. All of these books are available for Kindle for $2.99, and at Smashwords – they are perking their way to other distributors like Apple, Sony, KOBO and Barnes & Noble.
The Rogues of Ravensmuir is a medieval trilogy, each book featuring a hero with something to hide. These are a bit Gothic, and I’m glad to see them available again – especially with wonderful new covers. They are THE ROGUE, THE SCOUNDREL and THE WARRIOR. You can see the covers and read excerpts here, plus connect to buy links.
Three of my time travels are also available again. LOVE POTION #9, THE MOONSTONE and ONCE UPON A KISS were originally published under my pseudonym Claire Cross and have been unavailable for a long time. It’s exciting to have new covers on them, too. You can read about them right here.
And last but not least, the only wolf shifter book I’ve ever written was a medieval published by Harlequin Historicals called ENCHANTED. I’ve just learned that they’re going to re-release that book digitally in July. This book features a hero cursed to be a wolf half of the time, a fairy tale feel, and a heroine who just doesn’t take no for an answer – especially when her HEA is at stake. I love this book and am quite excited about this. There’s a bit more about it here on my site, but you’ll have to scroll way down.
Edited to add – Actually, Harlequin is going to republish that entire trilogy. Links and stuff on my blog, right here.
Phew! That’s all my news!
Wow Reviews & Free Heart of the Highland Wolf Giveaways!!
I’m at Cindy’s Love of Books! Free giveaway and only one person has dropped by and commented so no competition!
Urban Girl Reader is hosting a giveaway, if you have a chance to drop by!
And here are some great reviews of Heart of the Highland Wolf!
HEART OF THE HIGHLAND WOLF by Terry Spear
Heart of the Highland Wolf by Terry Spear
Werewolf, Book 7
Sourcebooks
Paranormal, Suspense
ISBN: 978-1402245527
Reviewed by Miranda
American werewolf Julia Wildthorn is a romance author; her specialty is werewolf romance novels. Her latest plot involves Argent Castle in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. Julia is hitching a ride on the coattails of a movie being filmed around the castle. She plans to learn as much as possible about Argent Castle and the werewolves that inhabit it. Unfortunately, someone else has other plans for Julia. A wreck and a rescue by a certain Laird turn her plan upside down.
Laird Ian MacNeill hates the thought of a movie production taking place around his family’s castle but his recent money troubles leaves him no choice. Ian is startled when he stumbles across a horrible wreck and two stranded women. The luscious Julia lights his fire like no other but he knows she’s keeping secrets.
Movie production begins and enemies from the past arrive to seize what they believe is theirs. Ian and Julia’s attraction to each other becomes undeniable but can they trust each other? Argent Castle is rife with enemies, ghosts and deadly secrets. Will they all survive the battle headed their way?
Heart of the Highland Wolf is a sweet, sizzling and utterly satisfying. The story starts off with a bang and the hits keep coming keeping the reader immersed in this highland novel. I loved learning the history behind Argent Castle and the families that have lived there. Julia and her many names are mysterious and keep everyone guessing. Ian comes off as a hard-edged no-nonsense werewolf but Julia pushes all of his buttons bringing him plenty of chaos. Ian and Julia spark when they are together. I loved watching them dance around their attraction for each other. There are plenty of suspenseful parts of this novel but it’s the couple that sets these pages on fire. I could read about them over and over again! Heart of the Highland Wolf is a hot highland hit filled with sexy werewolves and dastardly villains. This is the seventh book in Terry Spear’s Werewolf series but it can be read as a stand-alone novel.
http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-give-away-heart-of-highland-wolf.html
If you are a regular reader of my blog you will notice that I don’t read/review romance books and that is only because its a genre I never really got into until I read To Tempt The Wolf. I fell in love with the book and the author. Terry’s books are the only romance books I will read and highly recommend.
Heart of the Highland Wolf did not disappoint. I devoured this book within two days and if I could I think I would have stayed up all night to read it. After reading this I had a sudden urge to want to visit Scotland.
What I love about this series is that you really don’t need to read the previous books in order to follow along because each book deals with a different set of characters and yes some characters carry over into other books but its nothing major. Each book is fresh and exciting.
Julia the main character is a romance writer who writes about werewolves. She has developed writers block and thinks that hopping on a plane to Scotland with her friend Maria and the film crew will help her over come this. They are going to Scotland to film a historical movie at Agent Castle. Little does everyone else know but Julia is also going over for another reason. Its sort of like a secret family mission.
Although once they land in Scotland strange things begin to happen to Julia. A strange man at the airport who Julia feels is being a little to possessive in his manner and then a car accident. Are all these things linked or is it just a fluke? Is there more to this then Julia realizes?
In Julia’s eyes she is hoping that Ian (Laird, Ian MacNeill) will become the hero in her book and little does Julia realize that during the course of time he will become that and then some for her in real life.
Ian has given up on ever finding his true love because in the past something has always happened and he was left behind to pick up the pieces but when he sees Julia he knows that she is the one. He knows there is more behind her then she is telling. What will he do when he uncovers the truth?
For me I loved Julia and Ian. There relationship started out light and flirty but quickly heated up. One thing I love about Terry’s books is that she leaves alot to the imagination. There isn’t alot of over the top sex scenes just enough to satisfy the reader.
I am really looking forward to discover more about the MacNeill brothers such as Duncan, Gutherie, and Cearnach in her upcoming highland books.
http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-heart-of-the-highland-wolf-by-terry-spear/
Summary: Ian MacNeill, hero, is an earl-slash, alpha pack leader-slash, laird; who will lose Argent Castle because of financial reasons if he doesn’t do something quick. The solution? Agree to let Sunset Productions film a Highland movie on his property (in the Highlands of Scotland).
The production crew has agreed to all of Ian’s countless stipulations; so why then, is the assistant to the assistant director trespassing and breaking and entering?
MacNeill isn’t obtuse; he’s cognizant of Julia’s lies. He knows she’s being untruthful about many things: her surname, her occupation, and her motives for creeping around his castle. Another laird would be furious with the lass. Punishing her even. But Ian has his own wolfish ideas to get the lass to behave.
Review: This novel has it all; the suspense, the romance, a malicious antagonist, and a castle with secret tunnels, trap doors and its very own…ghost. I can’t decide which appealed more, the suspense or the mystery. “Give me a minute to think about it.” Let’s go with…suspense. I remember gasping out loud on page 6 and that was just the beginning.
Favorite Character: Flynn, Argent Castle’s very own ghost. He always helps a lady in need! I’m not kidding, I wanted more Flynn! (I’m pouting like Tinker Bell and stomping my little foot.)
Favorite Scene(s): I loved the way Ian welcomes Julia to Scotland. (Welcome me, welcome me!)
Then there’s the hike, which ends at the falls, where Ian pleasures Julia with and without her clothes. Hot doesn’t even begin to describe it. The man has talent! He also whispers sweet nothings in Gaelic.
Cameos: I spied with my little eye a wolf biologist named Cassie, and my favorite pack leader, Leidolf. For new readers, or those reading the series out of order, you can read all about Cassie and Leidolf in Seduced by the Wolf (book 5).
Special Surprises Which Tickled Me Pink: I found two references (pages 165 and 345) regarding LRP’s Get into Bed interviews. (Cute.) (Funny.) Again…tickled pink.
Recommendations: Recommended first and foremost to mystery lovers, then to readers who love romantic suspense, and finally to paranormal romance readers.
http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-heart-of-highland-wolf.html
Terry Spear once again thrills fans with the latest addition to her award-winning Heart of the Wolf series. Heart of the Highland Wolf takes place in Scotland and has everything from werewolves to castles and film crews. Fans of Spear will fall in love with new Highland characters that will expand the series in a new direction. Spears attention to detail and superb research skills give this book an authentic feel. Readers will love the details of wolf pack dynamics and Scottish clan loyalties. A great new paranormal romance!
Highland laird, Ian MacNeil finds himself and his clan up to their ears in debt and taxes after a bad investment scheme has left them nearly bankrupt. The clans ancestral home in the Caledonian Forest, Argent Castle is the perfect place to hide the fact that the clan is actually a gray werewolf pack until a movie production company comes calling. Ian realizes that this may be his only chance to save his home by allowing them to film a movie in the castle, but he doesn’t have to like it. Julia Wildthorn, American red werewolf and romance writer has journeyed to Scotland with her friend Maria, a part of the movie crew. She has two motives for coming along for the ride. With deadlines looming she needs new inspiration for her next werewolf romance novel and her grandfather has charged her with finding and returning a family relic that remains hidden in Argent Castle. But when she and Ian collide there worlds will never be the same. How are they tied together by the past? What’s in the mysterious box?
Author Terry Spear once again gives readers what they want. Her highly successful Heart of the Wolf series has proven that shape-shifters are characters that readers want to read about, especially werewolves. Spear uses her in depth research into wolf and pack behavior to create an authentic feel to the book that readers will pick up on immediately. She understands the need for readers to believe that this sort of thing is possible and to be able to identify with the characters she has created. I really enjoy the way that Spear injects the pack mentality into everything her werewolf characters do. Another thing I find particularly interesting is the fact that Spear’s werewolves can be born or made. She takes a werewolf myth and expands and changes it somewhat, and to me at least, makes it a lot more appealing than most werewolf novels.
In this addition to the series, Spear takes on the Highland clans. Being of Scottish descent myself, I was very happy to see the way this book was going. Apparently Spear has Highland ancestry as well and it comes across in her writing. I found her writing about the inner workings of a clan just as interesting as her writing about pack dynamics. The seemed to intertwine very well in her writing and she was able to give readers a sense of history and wistfulness. It was a very good marrying of two groups. The Laird of the clan being much like the Alpha male in a wolf pack. I always look to see how a writer interprets Highland customs and traditions and the overall attitude of the Scottish people and in my opinion Spear pulls it off with flying colors.
Ian and Julia make a very good couple. He is the strong lead character that is necessary with a werewolf novel. He is the epitome of heroes. Strong and courageous and not afraid to admit when he is wrong. She on the other hand is creative and determined and full of tenacity and grit. Quite a pair. The love scenes are steamy and frequent and readers who enjoy the romance of a book, will swoon a bit over this one. Spear has a real knack for writing steamy love scenes. It adds a lot of spice to the book and the chemistry between them just sizzles off the pages. Very hot!
The whole idea of family secrets and boxes from the past and finding relics is important to the story, but not essential in my opinion. It provided some interesting circumstances in which to find the main characters and gives Julia a one plausible excuse to stow away with the production crew, but I liked the romance writer angle a little better. I love it when a writer makes one of her or his characters a novelist as well. But, that’s somewhat difficult to pull off. Readers who are familiar with Spear’s other books in the series will remember Julia from previous books and it seems only natural that she gets her own story with this one.
Spear has written each book in the series to function on its own as a stand alone and that makes all the difference with a big series like this one. Readers can just pick up anywhere within the series and not be a big disadvantage, though I think they miss out on some of the nuances of the story if they haven’t read them all.
I would recommend this one to paranormal romance fans, werewolf and wolf enthusiasts alike and to anyone who loves a good steamy romance. There is a lot to offer the reader in this book and in the entire series. It certainly not one you want to miss!
Heart of the Highland Wolf is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
This one definitely gets 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag! One of my favorite book series’ that I’ve ever read.
OKAY, so I’m off to write on 3 stories–the jaguar one, The Deadly Fae, and The Gypsy and the Millionaire. I’m not sure on the title. Still thinking on it. 🙂 And still working on the cover.
Now, also, I”m about ready to post the newsletter. I’m sharing The Devil’s Messenger, a True Tale about my dad. He truly had nine lives.
Have a super great Saturday! I have my work cut out for me today!!!
So what am I doing goofing off again???
🙂
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male.”
http://www.terryspear.com
Shapeshifter Romance 